Greatest Spokane Indian Field Narrows to Four

The field of eight has narrowed to four in SWX's search to find the Greatest Spokane Indian of All Time.

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The votes have been counted and the field of eight has dwindled to a semi-final round with a list of four in SWX’s search to find the Greatest Spokane Indian of All Time. Here are your final four contestants and how they got past their opponents in the opening round! Click back on Tuesday, June 3, starting at 9:00 a.m. PDT to cast your vote for these finalists!

No. 1 Steve Garvey vs. No. 8 Hoyt Wilhelm: Winner – Steve Garvey

Hard to argue with Steve Garvey, a 10-time All-Star, 1974 National League MVP and Roberto Clemente award winner—who also happened to be on the 1970 Spokane Indians team that has been called one of the best in minor league history—advancing to the next round. The way he did it though is a little eye-opening, beating out Hoyt Wilhelm by over 80-percent of the votes (80.7 percent to 19.3).

Wilhelm will always be remembered as one of the reasons all-time great Charlie Hough danced a knuckle ball to the plate with the Dodgers and then, ironically enough, the Rangers. He also made the rare move of being a player-coach while he was with the Indians. His Hall-of-Fame career—which included a no-hitter and pitching with one of the lowest earned run averages of all-time until he was almost 50—made it impossible to leave him off a final-eight list. But meeting Garvey in the first round proved to be too much for the knuckler to overcome.

No. 2 Ian Kinsler vs. No. 7 Jurickson Profar: Winner – Ian Kinsler

No surprises again in this matchup. Both players had comparable stats in their time in Spokane, but there is a disparity in what they have done in their time since.

Kinsler proved himself to be the proven commodity. The former Indians shortstop is a three-time All-Star and the current leader in this season’s All-Star voting for American League second baseman (ahead of Seattle’s $200-million man Robinson Cano). He also was a major cog in the Texas Rangers machine that won back-to-back AL pennants in 2010 and 2011.

While Kinsler did beat Profar by a whopping 44 percent (77.1 percent to 22.9), there is a very valid reason the Curacao native was selected to make the final eight. Profar was only 17 years old when he spent the summer at Avista Stadium, now he isn’t that much older and showed enough potential and upside that the Rangers felt comfortable letting Kinsler go via trade. If SWX and the Indians decide to collaborate on another poll in the future, it might well be that Profar is the one advancing over Kinsler.

No one but the 21 percent who voted for Royce Bolinger to beat Carlos Beltran are surprised, and even that 21 percent probably isn’t shocked that Beltran won handily (taking 79 percent of the votes).

To his credit, Bolinger is having a great season in the Rangers’ high-A team in Myrtle Beach. But beating a player like Beltran just wasn’t in the cards for the former Gonzaga Bulldog.

Beltran is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and two-time Silver Slugger who would make a run at being one of the best players still playing in the big leagues. Soon after the current New York Yankee left Spokane he was named the American League Rookie of the Year and went on to sign a mega-contract with the New York Mets. It’s easy to see him making the final two, let alone the semi-finals in our poll.

No. 4 Ron Cey vs. No. 5 Tommy Lasorda:Winner – Ron Cey

Who would have thought that the closest result in our search to find the greatest Spokane Indian of all time would be in the pairing between a former manager and player that were together in Spokane and then in the big leagues with the Dodgers? Ron Cey edged out his former skipper by just under 14-percent (56.6 percent to 43.4).

The fact that Cey donned an Indians uniform on the field and Lasorda wore one in the dugout ultimately might have been one of the deciding factors that kept a Hall of Famer and baseball icon like Lasorda from advancing. The Penguin also being a former WSU Cougar might have played a role as well. Both men compiled impressive numbers in Spokane and in the major leagues, which makes seeing Lasorda left out that much harder. In the end the Tacoma native had enough pull to win. If this were a L.A.-based voting pool, the result probably would have been different.

Make sure you come back on Tuesday, June 3, to vote for your favorite player in the final four! Polls for the semifinal will close Sunday, June 8, at midnight (11:59:59 p.m. PDT).

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Marcus Mariota threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, and the Tennessee Titans scored 21 straight points in rallying to beat the Seattle Seahawks 33-27 Sunday. Pro Bowl running back DeMarco Murray rushed for 115 yards, including a 75-yard TD run . Ryan Succop also kicked four field goals as Tennessee (2-1) scored at least 30 points for a second straight week. The Seahawks (1-2) finally scored a bunch of touchdowns with R...

SEATTLE (AP) - Corey Kluber threw seven strong innings to become the first 18-game winner in the American League, Jose Ramirez's 29th home run snapped a 2-all tie, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Sunday. Kluber (18-4) made only one mistake in winning his sixth straight start and strengthening his campaign for the AL Cy Young Award. He struck out 10 and allowed six hits. It was his 15th start this season with at least 10 strikeouts. ...

The Seahawks' offense has struggled through the first two games of the season, ranking 28th in the league in scoring (10.5 ppg). It took Seattle over 112 minutes to score their first touchdown of the season.

Seattle, which trailed 7-1 early, pulled to 8-5 on Robinson Cano's two-run single in the seventh but then left the bases loaded. The Mariners made it 8-6 in the eighth on consecutive doubles by Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel.

Game one is now scheduled for Wednesday in Vancouver. Photo: Spokane Indians

Due to the current air quality conditions and forecast, the Spokane Indians and the Northwest League have postponed tonight's game scheduled at Avista Stadium. Game one will be moved to Vancouver and is scheduled for Wednesday, September 6th at 7:05 PM.

Due to the current air quality conditions and forecast, the Spokane Indians and the Northwest League have postponed tonight's game scheduled at Avista Stadium. Game one will be moved to Vancouver and is scheduled for Wednesday, September 6th at 7:05 PM.

Starting pitcher Tyler Phillips provided the tricks by striking out a dozen AquaSox, and the Indians got a much needed treat with a 3-2 win in front of 5,151 fans. Spokane's win over Everett moves them one step closer to winning the NWL North Division for the second half of the season.

Starting pitcher Tyler Phillips provided the tricks by striking out a dozen AquaSox, and the Indians got a much needed treat with a 3-2 win in front of 5,151 fans. Spokane's win over Everett moves them one step closer to winning the NWL North Division for the second half of the season.

Matt Whatley hit a three-run home run and had four hits, driving in five as the Spokane Indians beat the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 10-5 on Wednesday. With the victory, the Indians swept the five-game series.

Matt Whatley hit a three-run home run and had four hits, driving in five as the Spokane Indians beat the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 10-5 on Wednesday. With the victory, the Indians swept the five-game series.

In the top of the first, Tri-City grabbed the lead on a stolen base that scored Robbie Podorsky. The Dust Devils then added a run in the eighth and two in the ninth. In the eighth, Luis Asuncion hit an RBI single, while Josh Magee scored on a wild pitch in the ninth

In the top of the first, Tri-City grabbed the lead on a stolen base that scored Robbie Podorsky. The Dust Devils then added a run in the eighth and two in the ninth. In the eighth, Luis Asuncion hit an RBI single, while Josh Magee scored on a wild pitch in the ninth